CE354: Transportation Engineering

Module 2: Highway Alignment and Geometric Design

Principles of highway alignment, requirements,
controlling factors, engineering surveys, importance of
geometric design, design controls and criteria, cross
section elements, pavement surface characteristics,
camber, carriageway, kerbs, road margins, formation,
right of way, typical cross sections.
Sight distance, stopping sight distance, overtaking sight
distance, sight distance at intersections.
Design of horizontal alignment, super elevation,
transition curves, design of vertical alignment, gradients,
vertical curves.
CSRK Prasad
 Design of Vertical Alignment
Elevation or profile of the centre line of the
road
Grades and vertical curves
Influences
Vehicle speed
Acceleration & deceleration
Stopping distance
Sight distance, &
Comfort in vehicle movements at high speeds
 Gradient
Rate of rise or fall
along the length of
the road with respect
to the horizontal ( 1 in
x or n%)
Ascending gradients
are given positive
signs
Descending gradients
are given negative
signs
 Types of Gradients
Ruling Gradient
Limiting Gradient (length of continuous grade line
is restricted)
Exceptional Gradient (limited to short stretches of
100m)
Minimum Gradient
Critical length of grade: the maximum length of
ascending gradient which a loaded truck can
operate without undue reduction in speed
(25kmph)
 Gradients for Highways
Terrain Ruling Limiting Exceptional
Gradient Gradient Gradient
Plain or rolling 3.3% 5% 6.7%
(1 in 30) (1 in 20) (1 in 15)
Mountainous terrain and steep 5% 6% 7%
terrain having elevation more than (1 in 20) (1 in 16.7) (1 in 14.3)
3,000m above MSL
Steep terrain up to 3,000m height 6% 7% 8%
above MSL (1 in 16.7) (1 in 14.3) (1 in 12.5)

Minimum Gradient
Concrete drains or gutter: 1 in 500
Inferior surfaces of drains: 1 in 200
Kutcha open drains: 1 in 100
 Compensation in Gradient on
Horizontal Curves
Reduction in gradient at the horizontal curve
to compensate for the loss of tractive effort
due to the curve
Grade Compensation = (30+R)/R; subject to a
maximum value of 75/R
Grade compensation is not necessary for
gradients flatter than 4%
 Vertical Curves
Summit curves or
crest curves with
convexity upwards
Valley or sag curves
with concavity
upwards
Summit Curves
 Summit Curves
Design Criteria
To provide adequate sight distance
No problem of discomfort (centrifugal force acts
upwards)
Types
Circular summit curve is ideal (practice: parabola)
Hump: transition curve on either side
Length of Summit Curve
 Length of Summit Curve for SSD
When L > SSD

When L < SSD

Length of Summit Curve for OSD/ISD
When L > S

When L < S
 Summit Curves
Minimum radius of the curve, R = L/N
When the deviation angle is small, the length
of summit curve generally works out to be less
than the sight distance
In very small deviation angles, the length
required some times works out as a negative
value indicating that there is no problem of
sight restriction at the summit curve
Minimum Length of Vertical Curves
Design Maximum grade Minimum Length of
Speed, change (%) not Vertical curve, m (for
kmph requiring a vertical higher grade change
curve values)
35 1.5 15
40 1.2 20
50 1.0 30
65 0.8 40
80 0.6 50
100 0.5 60
Valley Curves
 Valley Curves
No problem of restriction to sight distance in
valley curves during day light
During night driving under head lights of vehicles,
the sight distance available at valley curve is
decreased
Design Criteria
Impact free movement of vehicles at design speed or
the comfort to the passengers (transition curve), &
Availability of stopping sight distance under head
lights of vehicles for night driving (at least equal to
SSD)
 Length of Valley Curve
Design criteria:
The allowable rate of change of centrifugal
acceleration of 0.06m/sec3, and
The head light sight distance, and the higher of
the two values is adopted
Length of Transition Curve Ls for
Comfort Condition
 Length of Valley Curve for head light
sight distance
Conditions:
When the total length of valley curve L is greater
than the stopping sight distance, SSD
When L is less than SSD
Length of Valley Curve for head light
sight distance
L > SSD
Length of Valley Curve for head light
sight distance
L < SSD
 References
Khanna, S.K., Justo C.E.G. and A. Veeraraghavan. Highway
Engineering. Nem Chand & Brothers, Roorkee
 Contact:
csrk@nitw.ac.in
csrk_prasad@yahoo.com
0870-2462117 (O)
9440347348